There’s something different about listening to a person tell their own story. You’re not just following the plot… you’re hearing someone make sense of the moments, relationships, and experiences that shaped their life. And when the author narrates their own memoir, it means that very little is lost in translation.
This post may include affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and/or purchase from that site. I use that money to keep this blog running. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
That’s probably why memoirs are some of my favorite books to listen to. They can be funny, heartbreaking, inspiring, completely unexpected, or somehow all of those things at once.
I’ve rounded up some of the best memoir audiobooks I’ve listened to WITH NO SPOILERS. So if you’re looking for an audiobook that will make you laugh, cry, think, or maybe see someone’s life in a completely different way, these are some great ones to add to your listening library.
And PS: Some of these titles may be exclusive to an Audible subscription, which I find definitely worth my while. If you’re interested in checking out Audible, you can use this link for a free 30-day trial.
Looking for something a little broader? Check out My Top 10 Best Nonfiction Audiobooks. Plus, you can find all of my audiobook favorites here.
1. Educated by Tara Westover
I read Educated seven years ago, and I still think about it to this day. Tara Westover grew up in a survivalist family in rural Idaho and didn’t attend school until she was a teenager. What makes this memoir so compelling is that it isn’t simply a story about education, it’s about what happens when learning changes the way you see the world you came from. I found it incredibly moving and fascinating, especially because Westover writes her story with so much honesty and reflection. This is one of the rare memoirs that isn’t narrated by its author, but you get my favorite narrator of all time, Julia Whelan, who does a beautiful job.
2. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Want to listen to five and a half hours of Tina Fey doing stand-up? Absolutely. Bossypants is a genuine laugh-out-loud listen. Fey looks back on her childhood, career in comedy, time at Saturday Night Live, and experiences as a woman working in entertainment, all with the dry humor and wit you’d expect from her. I especially enjoyed the audiobook because Fey’s personality comes through so clearly when she’s telling these stories herself, and there are plenty of moments that had me giggling and snorting. If you want a memoir that feels more like hanging out with a very funny friend than reading a traditional autobiography, this is a great one to pick up.
3. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
In his memoir Born a Crime, Trevor Noah shares what is was like growing up in South Africa during apartheid, born to a Black mother and a white father (a relationship that was illegal at the time), and how his childhood was shaped by a complicated mix of race, poverty, and culture. Despite the serious subjects, Noah tells his story with so much humor that I found myself laughing out loud while also learning a lot about his life and the world he grew up in. If you’re going to listen to one memoir in audiobook form, this is definitely one I’d recommend experiencing rather than just reading. Also because I love his accent… I said what I said.
4. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
Crying in H Mart details Japanese Breakfast singer Michelle Zauner’s experience of losing her mother to cancer and the complicated process of trying to hold on to her connection with her Korean heritage after her mother is gone. Food plays a huge role in the story, and I loved the way Zauner uses memories of cooking and eating with her mother to explore their relationship and the experience of grieving someone you love. If you’re looking for a memoir that will probably make you cry but also leave you thinking about family and memory long after, this is a wonderful one to listen to.
5. Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
Between Two Kingdoms is an unvarnished look at the experience of battling cancer and living in the dread/hope limbo of remission. At 22, Suleika Jaouad was diagnosed with leukemia and spent years undergoing treatment before eventually entering remission. But getting healthy didn’t mean everything suddenly went back to normal, and the book follows her journey as she travels across the country, reconnects with herself, and tries to understand who she is after illness. I loved how honest and reflective this memoir is about the complicated space between being sick and being “well” and how it impacts everyone around you. It’s emotional without being overly sentimental, and Jaouad’s writing makes the journey feel incredibly raw and personal.
6. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
I’ll listen to anything David Sedaris writes… because his narration always makes it 5x better! Me Talk Pretty One Day is a hilarious collection of essays about family, growing up, and all of the wonderfully awkward experiences that come with being a human. Sedaris has a talent for taking completely ordinary situations and finding the funniest possible angle, and it’s an easy listen because you can jump in and out of the essays without having to keep track of a larger storyline. If you want a memoir that will make you laugh out loud while you’re driving, cleaning, or doing absolutely anything else, this is a great one to try. And then, you can binge listen all of his other essay collections for good measure.
7. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
I’m Glad My Mom Died is a candid, darkly funny memoir about growing up as a child actor and the complicated relationship the author had with her mother. Jennette McCurdy writes about being pushed into acting from a young age, the intense pressure to succeed, and the way her mother’s expectations shaped so much of her childhood and adolescence. She also opens up about her experiences with eating disorders, grief, and eventually stepping away from acting to figure out who she was outside of the career she had been given. It’s funny in unexpected places, heartbreaking in others, and ultimately a powerful story about setting boundaries and finding your own identity.
8. Broken Horses by Brandi Carlisle
For music fans and especially Brandi Carlisle fans, Broken Horses is an essential listen. Carlisle takes readers through her childhood in rural Washington, her complicated family life, and the experiences that eventually led her to become a successful musician. Her relationship with music is woven throughout the memoir, making it especially interesting if you’re a fan of her work, but you don’t have to be familiar with her music to appreciate the story. But one of the absolute best parts about this audiobook that I’ve never experienced before (and why you should definitely listen)… she sings a song in between every chapter. You end up with a memoir and a private acoustic concert all in one.
9. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates writes Between the World and Me as a letter to his young son, reflecting on his own experiences growing up Black in America and exploring history, identity, and the realities of living in a country shaped by racial inequality. What makes this audiobook so compelling is how intimate the writing feels… it’s a deeply personal reflection from a father trying to make sense of the world his son will inherit. It’s a relatively short listen, but there’s a lot to sit with, and Coates’ narration gives the words an added sense of immediacy.
10. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
For fans of the late great Anthony Bourdain and shows like The Bear, Bourdain’s first memoir Kitchen Confidential is a must-listen. He takes readers through his career as a chef, from his early days in professional kitchens to eventually becoming a celebrated chef and writer, and he does not hold back when it comes to describing the chaos, egos, and questionable decisions that come with restaurant life. What I love about this audiobook is Bourdain’s brutally honest storytelling. He narrates the audiobook himself, which makes it feel even more like you’re sitting across from him while he tells you all of his best stories. If you love memoirs that let you peek behind the curtain, this is for you.
I hope this list helps you as you search for your next great memoir audiobook! If you’re looking for a different kind of listen, check out My Top 10 Best Literary Fiction Audiobooks, or find all of my favorite audiobooks here.
